Recent research has highlighted a widespread increase in cases of colorectal cancer among those under 50, which is closely linked to the Westernization of lifestyles.
A global trend
Previous work linking this trend, particularly observed in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, to diets richer in meat and processed foods, Hyuna Sung, of the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, and his colleagues sought to obtain a more global picture of the evolution of rates of cancer colorectal.
Published in the journal The Lancet Oncologythe new study relied on data from the World Health Organization, collected between 1975 and 2017 from around the world.
The team found that during this period, the number of colorectal cancer diagnoses among people aged 25 to 49 increased significantly in 27 countries and territories, including non-Western nations, such as Japan, and less prosperous ones, such as Turkey.
According to the researchers, this increase is unlikely to be linked to improved screening, as most countries do not routinely test for this form of cancer before the age of 50.
Westernization of lifestyles as a probable cause
The fact that all the regions of the globe concerned have a high to very high human development index (based on average life expectancy, level of education and GDP per capita) reinforces the idea that economic development and the westernization of lifestyles play a preponderant role. For example, it is estimated that meat consumption in Japan increased more than sevenfold between 1961 and 2021.
At this point, researchers do not rule out the possibility that other factors, such as pollution, are involved.
If they mention data that is much less provided for African countries or incomplete in the case of India, these results contribute to “ shed light on how colorectal cancer rates vary across countries », paving the way for extensive screening campaigns.
In 2023, a study confirmed that ultra-processed foods increased the risk of cancer.
